RAPR, including RAPD, are safely feasible in selected patients. The results of RAPD in pancreatic cancer are encouraging but deserve further investigation.

RPD-SMV/PV is feasible in carefully selected patients. The generalization of these results remains to be demonstrated.

Background The benefits of pure laparoscopic and robot‐assisted liver resections (LLR and RALR) are known in comparison to open surgery. The aim of the present retrospective comparative study is to investigate the role of RALR and LLR according to different levels of difficulty. Methods The institutional databases of six high‐volume hepatobiliary centers were retrospectively reviewed. The study population was divided in two groups: LLR and RALR. The procedures were stratified for difficulty levels accordingly to three classifications. A propensity score matching was implemented to mitigate selection bias. Short‐term outcomes were the object of comparison. Results Nine hundred and thirty‐six LLR and 403 RALR were collected. RALR exhibited fewer cases of intraoperative blood loss, lower transfusion and conversion rates (especially for oncological radicality) than LLR in the setting of highly difficult operations, whereas LLR had lower postoperative morbidity and fewer low‐grade complications. For intermediate and low‐difficulty resections, the intraoperative advantages of RALR gradually decreased to nonsignificant results and LLR remained associated with lower postoperative morbidity. Conclusion Robot‐assisted liver resections do not show operative nor clinically significant benefits over LLR for low‐ and intermediate‐difficulty resections. By reducing conversion rates, RALR can favour the operative feasibility of difficult resections possibly extending the indications of minimally invasive approaches for liver resection.

Torsion of the greater omentum is a rare cause of acute abdomen. Based on etiopathogenesis, it can be classified as primary or secondary. However, regardless of the cause, segmentary or diffuse omental necrosis will follow. Preoperative diagnosis is not easy, though abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scans may show peculiar features suggestive of omental torsion. Laparoscopic resection of the affected omentum is the treatment of choice. Presently reported was a case of primary omental torsion, in addition to a comprehensive literature review.

RPD and OPD achieved the same rate of R1 resections in resectable PC. RPD was also non-inferior to OPD with respect to all secondary study endpoints. Because of the high number of patients required to run a RCT, further assessment of RPD for PC would require the implementation of an international registry.

Robotic assistance improves surgical dexterity in minimally invasive operations, especially when fine dissection and multiple sutures are required. As such, robotic assistance could be rewarding in the setting of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD). RPD was implemented at a high volume center with preemptive experience in advanced laparoscopy. Indications, surgical technique, and results of RPD are discussed against the background of current literature. RPD was performed in 112 consecutive patients. Conversion to open surgery was required in three patients, despite nine required segmental resection and reconstruction of the superior mesenteric/portal vein. No patient was converted to laparoscopy. A pancreato-jejunostomy was created in 106 patients (94.6 %), using either a duct-to-mucosa (n = 82; 73.2 %) or an invaginating (n = 24; 21.4 %) technique. Pancreato-gastrostomy was performed in one patient, the pancreatic duct was occluded in two patients, and a pancreatico-cutaneous fistula was created in three patients. Mean operative time was 526.3 ± 102.4 in the entire cohort and reduced significantly over the course of time. Experience was also associated with reduced rates of delayed gastric emptying and increased proportion of malignant tumor histology. Ninety day mortality was 3.6 %. Postoperative complications occurred in 83 patients (74.1 %) with a median comprehensive complication index of 20.9 (0-30.8). Clinically relevant pancreatic fistula occurred in 19.6 % of the patients. No grade C pancreatic fistula was noted in the last 72 consecutive patients. RPD is safely feasible in selected patients. Implementation of RPD requires sound experience with open pancreatoduodenectomy and advanced laparoscopic procedures, as well as specific training with the robotic platform.

In patients at intermediate risk, RPD is associated with higher rates of CR-POPF. Incidence of grade C POPF is similar in RPD and OPD, making overall morbidity and mortality also equivalent. A RCT, with risk stratification for POPF, would require an enormous number of patients. Implementation of an international registry could be the next step in the assessment of RPD.

Background: Despite improved overall outcomes rejection continues to occur frequently after pancreas transplantation. Objective: To review the literature and to provide a state-of-the-art assessment of current practice and developments of immunosuppressive regimens in pancreas transplantation. Methods: The English literature was reviewed. Relevant articles were retrieved and analysed. Results: Induction therapy is used in approximately 90% of the transplants, with T-cell depleting antibodies being the prevalent therapy (>90%). Despite the initial enthusiasm on steroid-free regimens, maintenance protocols continue to be mostly based on a combination of steroids, tacrolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. Tacrolimus is used in the majority of recipients. Sirolimus is rarely used at the time of transplant and is introduced later on in approximately 10% of the recipients, mostly in the context of a switching strategy to address the side effects of calcineurin inhibitors. The overall quality of published studies was quite low, because of the retrospective design, the heterogeneity of study groups with respect to PTx categories, the inclusion of mixed recipient categories with respect to immunologic risk profile, and the use of non-standardized concurrent immunosuppressive therapies. In addition, most reported studies are clearly underpowered, and treatment outcomes were not standardized. Conclusions: Since approximately two decades immunosuppression in pancreas transplantation mostly consists in induction with depleting antibodies and maintenance therapy using a combination of steroids, tacrolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. While true novelty would be very much needed, this review confirms the wide use and the clinical efficacy of this regimen.